Part 15 (1/2)
In that cleft, which is not really a cleft, but a valley, we'll make our landing. It's practically inaccessible, except by the road we're taking, and our road isn't crowded yet with tourists. Look how the light is growing! See, the new sun is gilding all the mountains now with gold!
Even the snow is turned to gold!”
His own wonderful eyes were s.h.i.+ning at the tremendous prospect, outspread before them, peak on peak, ridge on ridge, vast ma.s.ses of green on the lower slopes, and now and then the silver glitter of a lake. The eyes of him who had been so stark and terrible in the battle were now like those of a painter before the greatest picture of the greatest master.
”The Alps!” exclaimed John.
”Aye, the Alps! Hundreds of thousands of you Americans have come all the way across the sea to see them, but few of you have ever looked down on them in the glow of the morning from such a height as this, and you are probably the only one who has ever done so, after an all-night fight and flight for life.”
”Which makes them look all the better, Philip. It's been a wonderful night and flight as you call it, but I'll be glad to feel the solid mountain under my feet. Besides, you need rest, and you need it badly.
Don't try to deny it.”
”I won't, because what you say is true, John. My eyes are blurred, and my arms grow unsteady. In that valley to which we are going n.o.body can reach us but by way of the air, but, as you and I know, the air has our enemies. Do you see any black specks, John?”
”Not one. I never saw a more beautiful morning. It's all silver, and rose and gold, and it's not desecrated anywhere by a single German flying machine.”
”Try the gla.s.ses for a longer look.”
John swept the whole horizon with the gla.s.ses, save where the mountains cut in, and reported the same result.
”The heavens are clear of enemies,” he said.
”Then in fifteen minutes the _Arrow_ will be resting on the gra.s.s, and we'll be resting with it. Slowly, now! slowly! Doesn't the machine obey beautifully?”
They sailed over a river, a precipice of stone, rising a sheer two thousand feet, above pines and waterfalls, and then the _Arrow_ came softly to rest in a lovely valley, which birds alone could reach before man took wings unto himself.
The humming of the motor ceased, and the machine itself seemed fairly to snuggle in the gra.s.s, as if it relaxed completely after long and arduous toil. It was in truth a live thing to John for the time, a third human being in that tremendous flight. He pulled off his gloves and with his stiffened fingers stroked the smooth sides of the _Arrow_.
”Good old boy,” he said, ”you certainly did all that any plane could do.”
”I'm glad you've decided the s.e.x of flying machines,” said Lannes, smiling faintly. ”Boats are ladies, but the _Arrow_ must be a gentleman since you call it 'old boy.'”
”Yes, it's a gentleman, and of the first cla.s.s, too. It's earned its rest just as you have, Philip.”
”Don't talk nonsense, John. Why, flying has become my trade, and I've had a tremendously interesting time.”
John in common with other Americans had heard much about the ”degenerate French” and the ”decadent Latins.” But Lannes certainly gave the lie to the charge. If he had looked for a simile for him in the animal kingdom he would have compared him with the smooth and sinuous tiger, all grace, and all power. Danger was the breath of life to him, and a mile above the earth, with only a delicate frame work holding him in the air he was as easy and confident as one who treads solid land.
John unbuckled the strap which had held him in the _Arrow_, stepped out and fell full length upon the gra.s.s. His knees, stiff from such a long position in one att.i.tude, had given way beneath him. Lannes, laughing, climbed out gingerly and began to stretch his muscles.
”You've something to learn yet about dismounting from your airy steed,”
he said. ”You're not hurt, are you?”
”Not a bit,” replied John, sitting up and rubbing his knees. ”The gra.s.s saved me. Ah, now I can stand! And now I can move the rusty hinges that used to be knees! And as sure as you and I live, Philip, I can walk too!”
He flexed and tensed his muscles. It was a strange sight, that of the young American and the young Frenchman capering and dancing about in a cleft of the Alps, a mile above the valley below. Soon they ceased, lay down on the gra.s.s and luxuriated. The heavy suits for flying that they had worn over their ordinary clothing kept them warm even at that height.
”We'll rest until our nerves relax,” said Lannes, ”and then we'll eat.”
”Eat! Eat what?”